Standing Ground
by Sergeant13
Summary: [Path of Radiance] Greil and Elena escape from Daein with their lives and Lehran's medallion and set the stage for the future of their world.
1. Chapter 1

"Come, Elena, we must hurry," Greil whispered to his wife hastily. His footsteps echoed through the dark hallways of Palmeni Temple, the sacred library of Daein history, but hearing his own pace did not comfort the knight like it usually did. He had never been so nervous in his life; he had never been so tense in any situation before. This flight, by far, surpassed every fencing match he had ever participated in, even those concerning the other three of the Four Riders.

Greil swiftly looked into the passage behind. He could hear Betram's horse galloping through the temple in the back of his mind; he could hear Bryce's heavy footsteps trampling any hope the couple had. He wished the pounding would go away... his head throbbed in an unforgiving mockery of his thought, enervating his senses. Anxiety drowned any pleasant notions like the water that flooded the entire planet on that night the power of Lehran's Medallion was invoked. Greil looked at his wife's other hand. That was what she held so closely to her breast; Lehran's Medallion was wrapped in coarse linen and was being carried by the only beorc who could.

"Greil, I don't want to leave her! She'll die! Please, please, go back! Take her with us, please!"

"Stop yelling like that! We have to get out of here alive, and we'll never accomplish that with you screeching your way through these corridors!" The powerful knight was almost reduced to tears in hearing his wife's crying pleas. They had to leave Lillia behind; they had no choice. Greil knew that Elena loved that heron with all her heart; he knew what a terrible shame it was to leave the only survivor of the Serenes Massacre to die. He winced as another one of Elena's gasps reached his ears.

"Greil, Greil..." Elena sobbed as the couple reached the back door of the Temple. The stately knight forced open the barrier and, holding his wife tightly, led her down the stairs and around the side of the building. Cavalier, Greil's stately horse, stood still as the knight mounted him. Pulling his wife up in back of him, Greil kicked his steed forcefully and they began their journey to freedom. The knight lent one quick glance to the towering spires of the temple, etching into his memory the events of this life. The horse then disappeared into the flurries of snow of the white plains of Daein, never to return.


	2. Chapter 2

"Greil, I cannot go any further... the baby... please, just let me sleep..." Elena sighed weakly, slumping onto her husband's back. Greil turned and kissed her on the forehead.

"Hush, my sweet. We will find respite. Hold on a little while longer." Cavalier nickered. He, too, was tired and famished. Greil gazed into the never-ending horizon of Begnion. Flat plains of grass marked the end of Serenes Forest, the barren wasteland of the once beautiful race of Herons. After the massacre it was left to rot and decay in the evil that had burned it, along with the sacred laguz who inhabited it.

Elena sighed again, and Greil felt tiny droplets of water penetrate his outer garments. The journey had been harsh; it had been brutal. He knew that Lillia could not have survived such a road even if she was in the best of health. But he still felt horrid for leaving her, as did his wife. Elena was always muttering "if" and "perhaps;" Greil had to remind her that there was nothing they could do. If they were to escape with the medallion and the galdr in tact, they had to leave in the dead of night, while all the guards were sleeping, and still leave a shadow of a creature in the dank, bleak room that the Heron was forced, for so long, to call home. Now, Greil knew, as they traversed the boundary of the sacred forest of Serenes, Lillia had truly been left behind.

Cavalier walked slowly upon the grassy plain. But suddenly, Greil picked up his head; he saw a new covering of trees in front of them, and new soil pushed against Cavalier's hooves. The knight suddenly knew that they were in different territory. The soil was moist, and seemed to be consumed by humidity, and the air was thick and suffocating. Elena gasped and gagged on the hot oxygen, barely able to breathe. Greil immediately stopped the horse and jumped down to help his wife, but before he could lend a hand to her aid, a low growl caught his ear. The knight slowly looked to his left to see four laguz, all transformed into their true forms, standing only six feet from his position. Two tigers and two cats snarled and bared their teeth as their eyes bored into Greil's. Elena stopped coughing as she, too, noticed their presence.

"What are you humans doing on Gallian lands?" One of the black tigers said, taking a step towards Cavalier. The horse grunted uneasily, and tried to take a step back. But Greil restrained him, tightening his grip on the steed's reins and pulling gently to steady the flighty animal.

"Please," the knight began, holding out his free hand. "We only have need for food and shelter... we have been traveling for months without rest. Please, can you lend us your aid?"

"They're Daeins," A sand-colored cat sneered as she examined the knight's clothing. "They've got some nerve trampling on our border!" Greil felt his legs go numb. No matter how hard he fought, he would never be able to better four Gallian beasts.

"What do you think you're doing in a sub-human country, _beorc_?" The other cat snickered.

"No, please, you've misunderstood! We're not like them!" Greil pleaded desperately.

"Oh you're not, are you?" The first tiger who spoke smiled evilly, and licked his deathly sharp teeth.

"No! Please, we, we escaped from Daein with our lives! My wife, please; she is with child. She cannot hold on much longer!"

"You come from a country that holds laguz hunts for sport and you expect us to save your filthy hides?!" The black tiger growled angrily. The beast advanced a few more steps.

"Merciful laguz, I beg of your kindness! I have been changed! Please, you must understand... my wife... my beautiful wife... will die. She is so weak; we have traveled so far. Please. I... I will do anything to ensure her safety."

"...Anything?" The tiger snickered. He looked to his companions, who were advancing on the trio as well. They stopped and exchanged a volley of growls and grunts, speaking to each other in their own language. Grail looked up as a rush of hot air coursed over his body. A human stood before him, marked with streaks of red to distinguish his being.

"Come, we will take you to our king. He will decide your fate." Greil didn't have time to say thank you as the tiger changed back into his animal form and bounded into the forest. One of the cats transformed and remained behind to keep an eye on the travelers. Greil slowly took up Cavalier's reins and limped onward to follow the demihuman.

Elena clung to her medallion and sighed. The bronze, priceless artifact glowed softly with a blue light, penetrating the cloth Elena was holding it in. She brought it to her heart and looked to the path ahead with a weak smile. She knew that all would be well.

**Endnote:** All right, all right, I know that Gallia and Begnion are connected by an impassable mountain range. Oh well. You'll just have to use suspension of disbelief! hahaha


	3. Chapter 3

Sable ran as fast as her short human legs could carry her through the icy streets of Nevassa. She could hear the bandits hooting and hollering behind her; she could hear their blades scraping against the frozen rain with her acute ears. Their noise carried through the open area like the drums of an army preparing for battle, sending deafening waves into the crisp, cold air. Sable prayed as she ran in her bare feet for safety.

"Please, goddess, send me a hawk, send me a heron," Sable panted heavily as the oxygen she craved escaped her dying grasp. She thought of how weak she was; how her life in the slums had drained her energy almost completely from its reserves. Her growling stomach roared as loudly as her voice and her blistered hands never stopped throbbing from the cold. She didn't have the strength to fight back; she didn't even have the strength to transform. But she couldn't give up. Even if she fell to the ground and died here, of exhaustion, that would be enough. She could not be killed by her enemies. She could not be killed by the hunters.

With new resolve, Sable conjured the power lying deep inside her being and kept running. She looked back only to see the humans fall back a smidgen in the line of separation, and their metal swords still reflected the light into her eyes. But she could not stop. Her tail balanced her drive to shelter, waving back and forth in controlled movements to steady her gangly human body. Her hair whipped her cheeks like the air stung her eyes, with cold and heartless malice. And the ground beneath her feet gave way to sharp ice that cut into her soles; she wished desperately for a savior.

"Help me, goddess, please," Sable whispered, "I cannot die by their hands..."

Suddenly, Sable's eyes found a figure in the near distance. He stood erect, carrying his sword at his side as he strode onward through the sleet. Sable's heart skipped a beat as she realized who she saw.

"Oh, by the goddess; Crimea!" She ran to the man's side, collapsing to her knees and skidding the few inches it took for her to wrap her freezing arms around his leg. "Crimea, help me please! They're coming for me; they'll kill me if I trip and fall! Please, merciful beorc, friend of our race, help me; I beg of you!" Ike looked down upon the girl's shivering body with a warm smile. He noticed her grey tail lying limp on the snow-covered dirt and her bleeding feet, leaving footprints of red wherever they tread. Her clothing was tattered and torn, her hair was mangled in knots, and her nearly bare back was covered in stripes of black and white. The Commander softly placed his hand upon the laguz's head. Sable looked up and Ike's hand cradled her cheek. He was so warm; his fingers radiated the heat of safety onto her battered skin, and a rush of new blood circulated within Sable's veins. It seemed, almost, as if the lifeblood came from Ike's heart itself.

The General suddenly looked up.

"Get behind me; they're coming!" He said. His hand brushed Sable's forehead as it came to rest upon the hilt of his blade. The laguz clung to Ike's cloak and hid behind his legs, looking the opposite direction of the approaching mob. She saw another man running in her direction; he wore dark purple and black garments and bore an intricate red mark on his forehead. Soren looked down upon Sable for a second in time, but shifted his glance to focus on Ike once he realized what was going on.

"Halt!" Ike's manly voice boomed through the ears of the hunters. They quickly came to a stop not two feet from Ike's standing ground. Soren's eyes bored into the leader of the group, a young male Daein, while the rest of the cavalry poised their weapons. Three other teenage boys accompanied their friend in their brutal act of sin.

"Where is she? Her blood stops here." The older of the men said with malicious, disgusted flare.

"You have no right to know." Ike said frankly, not moving from his position.

"Don't give me that, you dastard; I want to know where the sub-human went!" He growled, "Why in the hell would you want to protect that wretch anyway? You're no Branded!" Soren stared even more fervently into the leader's eyes.

"No, I'm not. But I am my father's son." The Daein furrowed his brow, perplexed. His fist tightened around his weapon handle.

"Give her over now or we'll cut you and your little priest here to pieces, traitor!"

"I am no traitor!" Ike let his temper loose upon the man's sword, using his own to butcher Daein hatred. Soren summoned fire from thin air, sending it hurling upon the others that threatened to attack. They turned and ran from the scorching flames, yelling as their hot feet hit the cold ice. Sable shielded herself with Ike's blue and red cloak, wrapping its heat around her head. But soon peace reined the air around her, and she felt Ike's warm hand touch her once again.

"It's all right. You're safe now," He whispered soothingly. Soren walked to Ike's side and examined Sable with his dark eyes. The laguz looked back and did not break her stare as the Commander of the Crimean Liberation Army helped her to her feet. Silence remained between the three of them for what seemed like hours, but a mere few seconds had passed before Soren nodded his head. Sable returned his gesture with a more formal bow of her own, and Ike took her hand.

"Come," he said, taking a step towards the bleak mountains of Daein, "You can travel with us." Sable smiled weakly and gave a long sigh of relief. She knew that all would be well.


End file.
